1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to keyboard musical instruments having fingering guidance functions, which guide users to depress keys based on performance data so that conditions and operations for manual performance on keyboards are displayed.
This application claims priority on Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-74031, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, various types of technologies have been developed with regard to fingering guidance displays, which guide users to depress keys in musical performance in progress when practicing keyboard musical instruments. For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H05-173546 discloses a performance guidance device for a keyboard musical instrument, in which two-colored LEDs (e.g., red and green LEDs) are arranged on the upper portion of a keyboard and are turned on to designate keys to be depressed based on musical tune data. Specifically, each key is designated by a green light just before it should be depressed; and each key is designated by a red light just at the timing at which it should be depressed, whereby it is possible to reduce delays regarding a user's manual operations with regard to the precise key-depression timing. Generally, such fingering guidance is realized by turning on LEDs, which are arranged in proximity to keys of the keyboard, thus designating keys to be depressed. Specifically, five LEDs are installed in a keyboard musical instrument so as to show the positioning of the user's five fingers on a keyboard. Alternatively, OPEN/CLOSE indicators are installed in a keyboard musical instrument so as to show the positioning of user's five fingers on a keyboard.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H06-27938 discloses a pedal operation display device for a piano, which is designed to cope with difficulties that players experience when directly watching pedals being operated during musical performance on a piano. Specifically, an automatic performance piano (e.g., a player piano) is equipped with a computer screen on which periods and timings for operating pedals are displayed based on performance data.
In keyboard musical instruments such as pianos, musical performance and musical expressions are greatly influenced by pedal operations and key-depression intensities (or key-touch intensities) on keys of keyboards. Therefore, it is very difficult for users to learn sophisticated musical performance and musical expressions, closely related to key-depression intensities, by merely playing keyboard musical instruments while watching fingering guidance displays for designating keys to be depressed. In addition, musical scores merely show ON/OFF symbols regarding pedals, which make it very difficult for users to learn musical performance and musical expressions using pedal operations. This problem occurs in the conventional technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H06-27938, which is designed to merely indicate the timings for pedal operations.